Maaya Rajeshwaran is one of the most promising tennis players to emerge from Tamil Nadu, with an undying passion and drive to reach the highest level in the sport.
“I want to become a Grand Slam champion in [women’s] singles. There is no one from India who has done it,” she said in an interview to The Hindu on Monday.
At 13 years and 7 months, the Coimbatore-based Maaya is on the right track, having recently won the u-14 and u-16 National singles titles. She is also No. 1 in Asia in the under-14 section.
Recently, she was the only Indian girl to take part in the Australian Open-Asia Pacific u-14 event, where she finished a creditable fifth.
Summing up her experiences at the AO in Melbourne, Maaya said: “Actually, the first day was pretty bad. I was pretty nervous. I lost the first two matches but won the next three comfortably to finish fifth among eight participants. The foreign players are more consistent and hit the ball low. No one gives you an easy ball.”
Maaya also had the opportunity to watch the Australian Open girls’ final. “I got a fair idea of the level of tennis. When compared to Indians, though the strengths are the same, the technique is different. They (foreign players) are more accurate and consistent. I have to train harder,” she said.
What Maaya needs at this stage of her career is sponsorship, and her parents never get tired of mentioning it. Coming from a middle-class family — her father Rajeshwaran works for Mondelez India Foods Ltd., while her mother Revathi is a homemaker — Maaya is eagerly looking for financial support from all quarters, including the State government.
The talented teenager deserves each and every bit of help that comes her way.
